1927 Verdugo Hills brush fire

In early December 1927, brush fires erupted in several Southern California communities; the most destructive one started in Crescenta Valley. Both sides of the Verdugo Mountain range burned, threatening Burbank and Glendale. Scores of cabins and houses burned in Sunset Canyon.

An article in the Dec. 6, 1927, Los Angeles Times reported on the string of brush fires:

With four of five devastating fires reported as extinguished and the fifth well under control, Southern California yesterday ended two days of heroic efforts to check the advance of flames, and last night began to count the cost.… More than ninety homes were destroyed in Sunset Canyon with an estimated loss of $500,000 in home valuations plus a similar amount of furnishings and art collections.

The four fires reported as extinguished are: Verdugo Hills, San Antonio Canyon, San Andreas Canyon and Mint Canyon.

Plunge Creek, and other points in the San Bernardino fire area, are still burning, but well under control.

While the Verdugo Hills fire, the aftermath of the disastrous blaze which razed Sunset Canyon and menaced Burbank and near-by towns for hours, is reported as out, every precaution is being taken to guard against a renewal of the fire, which established itself as one of the most disastrous in years. Hundreds of men were thrown into the 7000-acre burned area to “cold-trail” – concentrating on embers and smoldering trees in the destroyed district.

The Verdugo Hills blaze was halted yesterday morning at the last firebreak separating the thickly wooded hills from Brand Park Estates and the city of Glendale. It was brought under control only after several hundred acres of valuable watershed in the park had been destroyed.

Although many were injured, there were no fatalities. These images are from the Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive at UCLA.